¶ Be My Guest

I’ve recently been exploring the power of Shortcuts, including trying to create some of my own. Most of them, so far, have been to help me automate specific tasks at work. But I did make one that has been useful recently as the pandemic has had much less of an impact on my local community as of late.

I call it Be My Guest, and it does a simple thing well: it displays a QR code containing your guest Wi-Fi info. It works with iOS and Android devices to help visitors join your guest Wi-Fi near instantly.

Upon installing the shortcut, you will be asked for your guest network’s SSID and password. Then, you can simply say, “Hey Siri, be my guest” and the QR code will pop up. Best of all, this works on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and even watchOS.

My favorite way to use this shortcut has been with the Apple Watch. My guest can scan the code straight from my wrist, and be connected to the guest network.

I hope you enjoy this shortcut. Let me know on Twitter Mastodon if you have any feedback.

¶ 2020 Year in Review | New Tech

This past year has been…well, something else. While a global pandemic certainly threw a wrench in so many things for so many people, it really wasn’t the worst year for me, aside from the longest spring break my kid has ever had. In January, I started a new job at my old flame, 1Password. Being a fully remote job, my day-to-day work wasn’t significantly impacted.

One thing that did go by the wayside was writing here. I just couldn’t muster the wherewithal to write during all this, even though I certainly had plenty fo topics to write about. You see, 2020 ended up being the year I had opportunity to refresh a good deal of my tech. So, in lieu of individual reviews, I’m going to summarize my thoughts on pieces of new tech I added to my collection this year.

AirPods Pro

As a “yay, new job!” gift to myself, I bought a pair of AirPods Pro in January. The regular AirPods were already one of my favorite pieces of tech in years, and the Pro variant set the bar even higher. I absolutely love the noise cancellation, which worked well on the few flights I took before the pandemic lockdown began.

But it is the Transparency mode that is really fantastic. Being able to clearly hear both music or podcasts and my surroundings is game changing, particularly on a walk through the neighborhood.

And the AirPods Pro have continued to get better. iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur allow for seamless automatic transfer between devices, and it works really well. It’s not foolproof, but it is rare for me to experience a hiccup in the transfer. And the new support for spatial audio is astounding. I’ve been watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Disney+, which supports spatial audio, and it is such an exciting audio experience. I really couldn’t recommend AirPods Pro enough. They are simply fantastic and remain my favorite gadget.

The Early 2020 MacBook Air

I had been rocking a 2012 MacBook Air until April this year. I loved that MacBook Air, and it was darn near the perfect computer. But it was certainly long in the tooth. Apple refreshed the MacBook Air back in 2018, giving it a Retina display and USB-C ports, but I held off because of the wretched butterfly keyboard. I was determined that my trusty MacBook Air would outlive the much-maligned butterfly keyboard design. That wager happened this year with a refresh bringing scissor switch keys to the MacBook Air.

I literally insta-ordered.

Little did I know I was buying the last Intel MacBook Air, since Apple swapped the brains for their own chips last month. Still, I am comforted knowing I bought the best Intel MacBook Air Apple had ever made. I have no regrets.

It’s a solid Mac, and more than fits my needs. But maybe this time around I won’t wait 8 years to upgrade.

The 2020 iPad Pro 12.9-inch

When Apple announced the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro and did a slight refresh on the iPad Pro, I knew this was a system I wanted (note: not needed) to own. I know what you’re thinking: “Chris! What are you doing? You just bought a 13-inch MacBook Air, and now you’re buying basically a 13-inch iPad Pro with a case that makes it a laptop?!”

Yep.

Here’s the deal: I love my Mac, and it is the de facto workhorse. But I also have strong associations of Mac = Work. At the end of my workday, I just don’t really feel like being on a Mac anymore if I can help it.

And the iPad is an exciting computing platform. I love the modularity. It can be a touch-driven tablet, a laptop with a real keyboard and trackpad, of a notepad with the Apple Pencil. And it seamlessly switches between and even combines these contexts.

My Mac is the stable, trustworthy stalwart of computing. My iPad is my personal computer. Everything about it feels very personal and approachable. And this year I decided to go big or go home — quite literally! The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is big, yet balanced.

And like the AirPods Pro, it got even better this fall with iPadOS 14. I find myself using the new Scribble feature with the Apple Pencil all the time. The iPad is a jack of all trades, and I can do most anything I need to on it. In fact, there are things I can do better on my iPad than on my Mac thanks to the versatility of input methods.

Could I go all in on iPad? Yeah, I think I could. But I’m not ready to put the Mac out to pasture yet.

Apple Watch Series 6

In September, I picked up the Apple Watch Series 6. My Series 4 was fine, and not failing me in any way, but I’ve been on a traditional 2-year upgrade cycle with my Apple Watch, and decided to upgrade, gaining the benefits of the always-on display, and also the blood oxygen sensor for kicks.

That always-on display is really nice. I didn’t think it would be a huge deal to me since I had been accustomed to having to tilt my wrist up to activate the screen, but it is a noteworthy addition to the watch. I think most people rocking a Series 4 are fine to wait another year before considering an upgrade, but if you have a Series 3 or older, the Series 6 would be a huge quality of life improvement.

iPhone 12 Pro

Being on the Apple Upgrade Program has the benefit of getting a new phone if I want it. The new industrial design of the iPhone 12 Pro had me sold straight away. The iPhone 4 was my all-time favorite iPhone design (and still is), and the iPhone 12 Pro feels like the modern reinterpretation of that design. The flat sides won me over instantly.

This also marked the first time I did not get an iPhone that was either black or space gray. I decided to branch out and get the Pacific Blue model, and I do not regret that one bit. It is a delightfully gorgeous color. I’ve never been one to use cases, and this phone is no different. I love seeing that blue.

I was concerned that the increase in the screen size from 5.8-inches to 6.1-inches was going to be ungainly, but it’s been a non-issue. Apple made the overall body of the phone very comparable in size to the iPhone 11 Pro, and it really doesn’t feel any larger in the hand (or pocket).

HomePod mini (x2)

The final piece of tech I picked up from Apple this year was a pair of HomePod minis. One for the living room, one for the kitchen. They’ve been a very nice addition to the house that everyone in the family have enjoyed.

I’m not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, so it doesn’t take much to impress me when it comes to audio quality. Needless to say, I’m impressed. At about 70% volume, the living room is filled with nice sound. I can’t believe how much sound a device the size of a softball can put out. And while it’s easy to pick on Siri, more often than not Siri works very well on both of our HomePod minis. Siri distinguishes easily between me, my wife, and my son, and hasn’t once been confused by who is talking.

If you’re skeptical about the HomePod mini, don’t be. It’s a nice little device to have around the house.

The New Year and Beyond

Only Apple knows what lies ahead for the coming year in its product line. There are some easy guesses: more Apple Silicon-based Macs, probably a more remarkable revision to the iPad Pro, new iPhones and Apple Watches, etc. But I’m thinking 2021 will be a quieter year for tech purchases for me. I updated most of my arsenal this year because the stars aligned just so. I’m not chomping at the bit to replace anything anytime soon at this point. But I am excited to see what is in store, especially on the Mac side with this architecture change to Apple Silicon.

Have a happy new year.

Apple delivers a new redesigned Maps for all users in the United States→

Apple has been gradually rolling out their re-built Maps data across the United States for the past year or so. Today, Apple announced that work is complete.

Apple today announced that all users in the United States can now experience a redesigned Maps with faster and more accurate navigation and comprehensive views of roads, buildings, parks, airports, malls and more, making it easier and more enjoyable to map out any journey. Apple completed the rollout of this new Maps experience in the United States and will begin rolling it out across Europe in the coming months.

I will say the new Maps data is terrific. It is a huge upgrade over the old data. While most buildings in my area are represented by fairly generic boxes, there is a good deal of detail in important landmarks such as Memorial Stadium (of Cornhusker fame) and the Nebraska State Capitol building. They even got a good representation of the statue of the Sower on the top of the building.

Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska

Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln, Nebraska

But today is not the first I have seen of this new map data. Apple began a soft rollout for the new maps in my region (Nebraska) last month, and they were active on my iPad Pro, but not my Mac or iPhone. And then last week the new maps reverted back to the old maps on my iPad Pro, which was odd.

One change that came today — for everyone in the US, from what I can tell on Twitter — is the addition of stoplights and stop signs when getting directions. This is represented nicely, and Siri will even tell you to “turn right at the stop sign”. It’s a subtle way of telling the driver about traffic signs and signals, which also sounding more natural.

Directions showing traffic signals and stop signs along the route.

Apple also highlighted a few more features of the new Maps in their press release today, many of which have been around since earlier releases of iOS 13:

• Explore major cities with Look Around
  This is basically Apple’s answer to Google Maps’ Street View. It only works in a few cities, currently: New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Houston and Oahu.

  If you zoom into one of those areas and tap the binoculars icon that appears, you can try it out for yourself. It seems a lot nicer than Google’s Street View, and I can’t wait for that to roll out to more places.

• Users can share places they love with collections
  These are simple collections of places you can create and share. My only complaint is that when you share a collection, the recipient’s copy is standalone — meaning if they add something it doesn’t sync back to you. This feature would be more useful if it allowed collaboration, much like Notes and Reminders does.
• One-tap navigation to frequent places with Favorites
  Pretty much what it says on the tin. Pretty handy for places you frequent.
• Real-time transit information
  This is active in my city and appears to work pretty well.
• Share ETA
  This is a really nice feature. When you start directions, you can tap a Share ETA button, and choose a recipient. They will then be able to see you in Maps and see your estimated time of arrival. This worked a treat earlier this month when I needed to rendezvous with my dad for a road trip.
• Flight status
  Siri intelligences does a bunch of on-device processing, looking at Mail, Calendar, and Wallet passes for flight info, then keeps you up to date on terminal, gate, or departure changes. I’ll give this a go in a couple weeks.
• Indoor maps
  Zooming in on some airports and malls with now have a Look Inside label, and shows you the interior of the locations. This can come in handy when you need to find a certain shop, or plan out your rush through an airport between flights.

All in all, I’m really excited about the future of Apple Maps. If you are in the United States and the previous incarnation of Apple Maps left a bad impression, it’s worth your time to give it a fresh try.

¶ AirPods, Siri, and Her

If you have read this site for some time, followed me on Twitter, or have known me personally in the last few years, you know that I am a really big fan of AirPods. In fact, I think AirPods may be my favorite gadget in the past 5 years.

One thing AirPods reminded me of when they were originally released is the 2013 movie, Her — which is a strange movie in many ways, but has stuck with me ever since I watched it. My main takeaway from Her is that it is ultimately about loneliness, and how we as a society are ever-increasingly trying to substitute real connection with technology, but it isn’t a satisfactory substitute. That’s a whole essay for another day.

By far the main thing that stuck with me all these years about Her was the way everyday computing is portrayed. Computers are the size of a business card case and the primary interaction is through a small earbud. People take calls, read and reply to messages and email, and compose entire documents through voice. When at a desk, these small computers interface with a larger desktop monitor.

It’s all rather cool.

The first AirPods felt like an initial step towards this portrayed future. With a couple taps on an earbud you could summon Siri and dictate a message, among many other commands. But it was still a first step.

The second-generation AirPods have a newer chip in them, and brought along “Hey Siri” support. No more reaching up and tapping at your ear to get the attention of our favorite assistant. Just say the phrase and roll with your command, and Siri happily obliges — most of the time.

With the advent of iOS 13.2, Siri gained another new feature that brings us another step closer to the technology in Her — Announce Messages with Siri. This feature requires newer headphones from Apple that have the H1 chip. These currently include:

• AirPods (second generation)
• AirPods Pro
• Powerbeats Pro
• Beats Solo Pro

What this feature does is eerily conversational. While the AirPods (or other compatible headphones) are in your ears, and you receive a text message, Siri will fade out whatever you are listening to, give a delightful chime, and tell you something like, “Karen sent you a message: ‘Which flavor of ice cream would you like me to pick up?’”

At this point, there is just silence for a few seconds, which is your cue to say something like, “Reply. Definitely cookies and cream.”

And then she just sends it and returns your audio right where you left off. There is an option to have Siri read your reply back to you and ask for confirmation to send, just in case you don’t trust her ability to transcribe your dictation well.

But this whole process is surprisingly interactive and quick once you get the hang of it. The other day I was getting ready for a workout and carrying out a conversation via text with a friend, completely hands-free, without looking at my phone once.

For kicks and giggles I even had Siri read an email to the other day and then I composed the reply right from my AirPods. It worked great for a short reply.

I doubt this will be the last time I bring up AirPods or the comparisons to the tech in the movie Her, but it is fascinating to me how quickly AirPods and Siri are becoming a decent interaction model with the iPhone, and how the proliferation of AirPods are normalizing speaking to these little devices in our ears.

The cautionary tale, though, is the same as we see in the film: we shouldn’t let these conversations with our devices overshadow real relationships with other people. Sometimes you need to take the earbuds out, put them away, and talk to another person.

US Veterans Can Now Access VA Health Records with iPhone Health App→

Apple Newsroom:

Apple and the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced that veterans across the nation and surrounding territories now have access to the Health Records feature in the Health app on iPhone. The VA gradually launched Health Records to select patients this summer, and now veterans who are iOS users and receive their care through the Veterans Health Administration can see a fuller, more comprehensive picture of their health that includes information from multiple providers.

The Health Records feature of the Health app on iPhone isn’t new, but it is interesting and still gaining traction. For instance, there are a few specialty clinics in my city that offer access, but none of the major healthcare providers do. Go an hour northeast to Omaha and some of the larger healthcare providers there have embraced Health Records integration.

Partnering with the VA is a big leap in bringing this feature to more people, and hopefully this move will get even more providers moving toward offering this as an option to their patients.

Getting it set up looks to be very straightforward, too.

By signing into their providers’ patient portals in the Health app, veterans can see all of their health records in one place, including medications, immunizations, lab results and more. The Health app continually updates these records giving VA patients access to a single, integrated snapshot of their health profile whenever they want, quickly and privately.

Preliminary Reports Suggest iOS 13.3 Fixes Multitasking Problems→

MacRumors:

Apple today released the first beta of iOS 13.3 to developers, and based on early reports from those who have downloaded the new update, it fixes the frustrating multitasking bug that is impacting many iOS 13.2 users.

While iOS/iPadOS 13.2 fixed a number of frustrating issues for me, this multitasking bug has been driving me crazy. In short, iOS/iPadOS has been so aggressive in closing down background multitasking that it effectively feels like iOS/iPadOS doesn't have multitasking anymore.

It's not unusual for me to close Safari to switch momentarily to another app, then come back to Safari to see any open tabs reloading from scratch, which loses my place on the page and/or loses any progress I was doing in a web app.

So while I am ecstatic to hear this problem may be solved with the developer beta of iOS/iPadOS 13.3, today's release is the first beta, and there are typically 4 or more before release.

Apple, is it too much to ask for a quick 13.2.1 update to address this issue?

¶ When You Should Upgrade to iOS 13 [UPDATED]

iOS 13 is scheduled to be released on Thursday, September 19th. But you should wait until September 30th 24th to update your iOS devices to iOS 13, if possible.

Why? Because Apple’s development cycle of iOS 13 has been, well, all over the map this summer. The betas over the summer have been particularly shaky, and it sounds like the public release of iOS 13.0 will have some hiccups in it. From John Gruber’s iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro review, regarding iOS 13:

I ran into a handful of bugs over the last week. One time Messages completely froze, and the phone started getting very warm. Force quitting Messages didn’t help — I had to power-cycle the phone to get Messages working again. Several times the keyboard in Messages went entirely white. I could actually still type, but I couldn’t see the keys I was pressing. With iOS 13.1 coming just 10 days after iPhone 11 units get into customer hands, I don’t see the point in belaboring this, but 13.1 needs to be a lot more stable than 13.0. 13.0 feels like a late stage beta.

The most notable sign that something was amiss for the initial launch of iOS 13 was right after iOS 13 beta 8, when Apple released iOS 13.1 beta 1. I noticed many of my developer friends scratching their heads over that one. Also, a number of features that had been pulled in the later iOS 13 betas had returned for the first beta of iOS 13.1.

On top of all that, when Apple announced iOS 13 would be available on September 19th, they simultaneously announced that iOS 13.1 and iPadOS would be available just 11 5 days later on September 30th 24th. iPadOS will never see a public release of 13.0, instead it will pass Go and collect a higher version number with 13.1.

Apple was put between a rock and a hard place. New iPhone hardware means that the new version of iOS needs to ship in tandem. And the full feature set of iOS 13 was running behind schedule. So they made a call — and I believe it is the correct call — to strip out the extremely buggy features, get 13.0 usable enough for the iPhone launch, and follow it up with a 13.1 release just over under a week later. I maybe would have held off on releasing 13.0 to existing devices and just have shipped it on the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, but I imagine watchOS 6 being tied to the iOS 13 made that unavoidable. People with existing iPhones will still buy new Apple Watches on launch day.

My Advice

I think the only reason you should endeavor to run iOS 13.0 is if you buy one of the new iPhones 11/11 Pro, or a new Apple Watch Series 5. For the former, iOS 13 will come pre-installed, and for the latter, it will have watchOS 6 and probably needs iOS 13 on the iPhone it will be paired to.

For everyone else with existing iPhones, just wait for iOS 13.1 on September 30th 24th. It is likely to be far less buggy, and will have more of the features initially promised for iOS 13. Finally, no matter when you upgrade your device, make sure you have a backup.

[UPDATE]: Apple has moved up the release date of iOS 13.1 and iPad OS from September 30th to September 24th. This article has been updated to reflect that.

¶ Twitterrific 6 for iOS Tailors Twitter Your Way

When my friends at The Iconfactory said that Twitterrific 5 on iOS was released 6 years ago and has had 86 free updates, I almost didn’t believe them. There’s simply no way Twitterrific 5 is 6 years old. Looking back at my own review confirmed its vintage.

Let’s put this in perspective. 6 years ago this site had a different name and domain, iOS 7’s new design language hadn't yet been revealed, and iPhones still had tiny screens.

Twitterrific has seen a lot of changes in that time. The design was completely overhauled for iOS 7 and tweaked frequently to stay fresh, features have ebbed and flowed as Twitter has given and taken away, and like a Phoenix from the ashes Twitterrific made its triumphant return to the Mac.

Today is the next perch in Ollie’s journey with the release of Twitterrific 6.0 for iOS. This new version of Twitterrific is CHOCK-full of experience enhancements that make Twitter usable and — dare I say — enjoyable.

Media Matters

A great deal of the improvements are related to media handling. Videos and GIFs now silently autoplay in the timeline and direct message threads. If they do contain sound, a speaker icon is shown so you aren’t surprised if you tap it. Also, autoplay can be disabled in the settings if you prefer that.

Image thumbnails now display at the photo’s native aspect ratio. If you like to add GIFs to your tweets, there is a new GIF button in the composer that integrates with GIPHY. I’m fond of the built-in filters for Reactions, Memes, and Swear Trek. Is that a buffet? Not for long.

Speaking of the composer, it’s media capabilities have been revamped. Now you can tap the thumbnail for attached media to see it larger and add accessibility descriptions — even to videos and GIFs. And you can swipe between multiple attachments to quickly add descriptions.

Twitterrific also embraces Twitter’s new ability to add media to tweets that contain quote tweets, as well as viewing said tweets properly.

Twitter Your Way

Twitterrific has always offered customizations to its experience, leaning heavily into one of its tag lines: Twitter your way. Version 6 continues that theme with three new home screen icon choices (Crow, Dove, and Neon — I have been loving Neon during the beta), five new themes (Dove, Akikiki, Puffin, Falcon, and Parakeet, twelve new “Olliemoji” iMessage stickers, a new font, and a few new display customizations.

Pricing

After 86 free updates over 6 years to Twitterrific 5, there are naturally some long overdue changes to the app’s pricing to continue its development — sort of.

No matter what, all features are available for free, but are subsidized with banner ads from The Iconfactory’s own ad network. Users at the free tier will also see reminders for the next level of supporting development — subscriptions.

A monthly or yearly subscription (99¢ and $9.99, respectively) will remove the banner ads and subscription reminders during the length of the subscription. There are some scenarios where recent purchasers of version 5 or users of its Tip Jar feature get a grace period. The Iconfactory has a support article outlining the scenarios.

For those who are not fond of the current app trend of subscriptions there is, thankfully, a one-time “Forever” option priced at $29.99 USD. The quote marks around “Forever” are in the app’s official documentation, and I don’t think it means forever. I would assume it means the lifespan of version 6. Which, if that is the case, shouldn’t be a concern given the longevity of version 5.

Flying Into the Future

It's no secret to users of third-party Twitter clients that Twitter has been hostile to these apps over the past years. Yet a few bravely remain to make Twitter a more delightful place on the internet to connect at. The Iconfactory has poured a lot of love into Twitterrific for the past 10+ years, and it’s encouraging to see them continue to push the needle forward in the face of adversity.

I have no doubt that as long as Twitter continues to allow its existence, and it has a dedicated user base willing to put their money where their tweets are, Twitterrific will continue to soar for years to come. That may seem like a tall order, but the people at The Iconfactory have faced overwhelming odds in the past and persevered, and I know they can continue to do so — as long as we stand alongside them.

How to quickly fix sideways video clips on iPhone or iPad→

Serenity Caldwell on iMore has a fantastic tip on how to rotate videos on an iOS device:

This one's easy to miss, but a must-have for filming fiends: iMovie for iOS is a free app for more complex video editing projects, but it also offers a quick-fix extenison in Photos for iOS. This extension lets you trim a clip, silence it, or add filters, text, or music — but it also lets you flip video with a gesture.

The rest of the article has a step-by-step guide worth checking out. This tip was news to me, but it’ll be invaluable for those times when my iPhone doesn’t orient itself before I hit record.

Iconfactory's Spooky Sticker Packs

BoneHeadz

Hack-O-Lantern

Halloween has always been a favorite festivity of mine. My parents would go all-out for Halloween parties for me and my friends when I was a kid. I loved dressing up, gathering up a horde of candy, and going to local science museum which transformed into a haunted house every year. Halloween carries a lot of traditions for me.

One tradition I have come to appreciate over the years is when The Iconfactory dresses up its website to celebrate the spookiest of holidays. This year the gang has gone further by dressing up iMessage with a trick-or-treat bucket’s worth of Spooky Sticker Packs.

Ravenswood, Macabre, & Spook On

First up are Ravenswood, Macabre, & Spook On. These packs feature ghastly portraits from Ravenswood Manor, familiar faces of this frightening holiday, and spooky stickers that are eerily realistic with their peeled edges.

All three packs are 99¢ when purchased separately, or $1.99 when purchased in a bundle. As of this writing, the bundle was still in review with iTunes.

BoneHeadz

Have you ever wondered what lies beneath the yellow skin of the smiley emojis? BoneHeadz goes beneath the surface to reveal the horrors and hilarity underneath! This pack makes no bones about it and can be yours for 99¢.

Hack-O-Lantern

As I mentioned before, I love traditions around this time of year and there isn’t a tradition more well known than carving a Jack-O-Lantern. It is something my family does every year and it is a fond memory of carving out a pumpkin with my mom.

I don’t always get to see mom around Halloween, and now we can have fun long distance with Hack-O-Lantern. It’s easy as pumpkin pie to do: pick a pumpkin and get hacking with various carvings and accessories. Scooping out the guts of an innocent pumpkin will run $1.99, which is cheaper than going to the pumpkin patch.

Lore

I think I’ve saved the best for last. One of my favorite podcasts the past year or so has been Lore. Each episode is thrilling and draws you in deep right before…the end, mwahaha! Seriously, though, Lore is amazing and you should listen to it. The Iconfactory and Lore have teamed up for hunt of the peculiar with a special Lore sticker pack. The artwork is amazing and fits right in with the podcast, so be sure to get this pack for $1.99…before it gets you.

Wallpapers

Each of these sticker packs comes with an wallpaper for your iPhone. To get the wallpaper, scroll down in the sticker pack and tap the pack’s name, then Save Wallpaper. These wallpapers are the perfect decorations for your home screen.

Vanishing Like the Invisible Man

It’s worth noting that most of these sticker packs are limited editions. When October is gone, they will no longer be available to purchase. That said, when you purchase them, you can use them year-round, as they’ll still be available on your device and for re-downloading.

BoneHeadz and Lore will be "sticking" around all year long.

The Iconfactory is making all sorts of amazing Stickers for iMessage, so be sure to grab these limited edition packs, and check out their other packs, as well.